Juul, one of the biggest companies that produces vaping products, recently hired a leading medical researcher.

The company said it hired Dr. Mark Rubinstein to research and better understand vaping among teens in attempts to reduce this epidemic.¹ The company is trying to defend its reputation and protect its product, much as Big Tobacco has in the past. But many in the community doubt the truthfulness of internal research within the company, a company that may lose the ability to distribute its products to several cities over fears of misuse. ²

What Are Vaping Health Risks?

E-cigarette companies push their products as safer alternatives to smoking, but that does not mean that users are free from e-cigarette dangers. There are numerous harmful short-term and long-term effects of vaping that can affect teens, adults, and vaping users of any age. While manufacturers try to downplay the dangers of vaping addiction, nicotine makes this form of smoking just as addictive as others.

The Outlook for Vaping Nationwide

Communities around the country are placing bans on sales of vaping products, citing that these products target underage smokers and introduce them to addictive vaping before they’re even old enough to buy cigarettes.³ Companies like Juul continue to insist that their products are safer than traditional cigarettes, but it is important to take these claims with a grain of salt. There are decades of research on smoking’s dangers, but vape products are new to the market and there has not been enough research to fully determine their safety over other forms of smoking.

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Sources:

1. LA Times - Juul hires a leading addiction researcher. Is it an echo of Big Tobacco tactics?
2. LA Times - FDA’s departing chief considers yanking nicotine vaping pods off the market
3. Wired - San Francisco's E-Cigarette Ban Aims to Goose the FDA